Kilauea in 2018 Erupted the Wrong type of Lava

In May of 2018, the Kilauea volcano produced its largest eruption in more than a century. As part of this eruption, a peculiar oddity occurred. Instead of erupting basalt, one of Kilauea's eruptive fissures produced a type of lava which had never been seen before on the island; andesite. This type of lava is typically not seen at shield volcanoes, as its high viscosity creates steep slopes. So, why did the wrong type of lava erupt in 2018? This video will answer this question and discuss the presence of both andesite and dacite in the Kilauea volcano.

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Graphics of eruption dates are courtesy of the Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institute. https://volcano.si.edu/

Google Earth imagery used in this video: ©Google

0:00 An Unexpected Eruption
0:41 The 2018 Leilani Estates Eruption
1:40 Fissure 17
0:00 Dacite & Andesite Magma
2:24 Fractional Crystallization
3:50 Conclusion

Photo Credit at 3m24s: klaber, Pixabay, Pixabay license

Thumbnail Photo Credit: USGS, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Public Domain

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